Vancouver Canucks Build Awareness for Mental Health With #HockeyTalks

Vancouver, BC -The Vancouver Canucks will host their sixth annual Hockey Talks day on January 25th to encourage a conversation about mental health. The Canucks will dedicate this game night to bring awareness to mental health and offer fans the opportunity to get involved through social media. The Canucks Hockey Talks event is part of an effort with nine NHL clubs where each will dedicate one of their game nights from January 2nd to March 22nd to bring awareness to mental health in an attempt to provide information from experts and alleviate some of the misconceptions and stigma associated with mental illness.

The schedule for Hockey Talks dates by participating NHL Clubs:
| HOME TEAM | VISITNG TEAM | DATE | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Edmonton Oilers | Multiple Games | Jan. 2 - 25, 2018 | | | New York Islanders | Pittsburgh Penguins | Jan. 5, 2018 | | | Toronto Maple Leafs | Colorado Avalanche | Jan. 22, 2018 | | | Montreal Canadiens | Carolina Hurricanes | Jan. 25, 2018 | | | Vancouver Canucks | Buffalo Sabres | Jan. 25, 2018 | | | Calgary Flames | Vegas Knights | Jan. 30, 2018 | | | Winnipeg Jets | Tampa Bay Lightning | Jan. 30, 2018 | | | Ottawa Senators | Nashville Predators | Feb. 8, 2018 | | | Colorado Avalanche | Los Angeles Kings | Mar. 22, 2018 | |
Edmonton Oilers Multiple Games Jan. 2 - 25, 2018 New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 5, 2018 Toronto Maple Leafs Colorado Avalanche Jan. 22, 2018 Montreal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes Jan. 25, 2018 Vancouver Canucks Buffalo Sabres Jan. 25, 2018 Calgary Flames Vegas Knights Jan. 30, 2018 Winnipeg Jets Tampa Bay Lightning Jan. 30, 2018 Ottawa Senators Nashville Predators Feb. 8, 2018 Colorado Avalanche Los Angeles Kings Mar. 22, 2018

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CANUCKS SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES

On January 25th, Canucks players will wear Hockey Talks helmet decals and dri-fit t-shirts to show their support. As well, the Canucks will host the Canadian Mental Health Association and Foundry on the concourse to share information with fans. New for 2018, the Canucks are supporting the development of Foundry, a province-wide network of wellness centres and resources for young people ages 12-24 in BC. Foundry removes barriers and increases access to care - including mental health care, substance use services, primary care, social services and youth and family peer supports.
The Canucks are once again supporting Balancing our Minds youth summits in 5 communities across BC. Balancing our Minds youth summits are events where high school aged youth can learn and talk about mental health and reducing stigma, participate in activities and learn about local and provincial resources. The Canucks have also supported BC Children's Hospital in developing a new mindfulness app for youth, Breathr. Breathr is designed to help introduce the concept of mindfulness and create an easy access point for those new to the practice.
The app provides opportunities for users to try out a variety of mindfulness practices, while also teaching them interesting facts about the brain science behind those practices. For more information and to download the app visit http://keltymentalhealth.ca/breathr. The Vancouver Canucks efforts in raising awareness about mental health through the Hockey Talks Program have been recognized by the 2017 Mental Health Voices Award from the Canadian Mental Health Association as well as by the 2013 Rona & Ken Purdy Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

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#HOCKEYTALKS SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Fans will also have the opportunity to lend their voices through social media by using the hashtag #HockeyTalks. Social media messages using the hashtag can appear as part of an online mosaic to showcase a united voice on Canucks.com/hockeytalksmosaic. Collectively, fans will have the opportunity to share personal messages and messages of support to create an atmosphere of open dialogue and awareness about mental health.

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MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACTS

• In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem.1
• 70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence.2
• Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada.3, 4, 5
• A growing body of international evidence demonstrates that promotion, prevention, and early intervention initiatives show positive returns on investment in this health sector.4, 6

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SOURCES

1 Smetanin et al (2011). The life and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada: 2011-2041.
2 Government of Canada (2006). The human face of mental health and mental illness in Canada.
3 Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2015). Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, 2013.
4 Mental Health Commission of Canada (2014). Why investing in mental health will contribute to Canada's economic prosperity and to the sustainability of our health care system.
5 Lim et al (2008). A new population-based measure of the burden of mental illness in Canada.
6 Canadian Policy Network (2011). Return on investment: Mental health promotion and mental illness prevention.